«　WEEK 42　DAY 2　»

　　Lam. 3:22-23 It is Jehovah’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

　　5:19 You, O Jehovah, abide forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.

　　I believe that this word [in Lamentations 3:22 and 23] came to Jeremiah as he was contacting the Lord in the morning, reviewing all the afflictions of his people. While Jeremiah was reviewing these afflictions, he must have regretted the sinfulness of Israel. At this juncture the word of Jehovah came to him, that no matter how much He had punished Israel, He had not utterly consumed them. Jeremiah and many others remained. This was God’s lovingkindness. Realizing that he and all the others who remained with him were under God’s compassions, Jeremiah praised, saying, “For His compassions do not fail” (v. 22b). The people of Israel had failed, but God’s compassions did not fail. His compassions had preserved the remnant of Israel.

　　Jeremiah went on to say, “They are new every morning” (v. 23a). This indicates that Jeremiah contacted the Lord as the compassionate One every morning. It was through his contact with the Lord that he received this word regarding His lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness.

　　God’s compassions do not fail, because He is the faithful One. The faithfulness of God [v. 23b] refers to His word…God had spoken to Israel’s forefathers, and He was faithful to keep His word. (Life-study of Lamentations, 2nd ed., pp. 6-7)

　　When the household of Israel receives the Lord’s salvation, who will turn first, Israel or the Lord?…[Zechariah 12] reveals that it is the Lord, not

　　Israel, who will take the initiative and turn. When Jerusalem is besieged by Antichrist, the Lord Jesus will turn to the children of Israel and appear to them. They will then look upon Him, the One whom they have pierced, and repent (v. 10). This means that when they see the Lord, they will turn to Him and receive His household salvation.

　　Jeremiah concluded his writing by asking two questions of Jehovah: “Have You utterly rejected us? / Are You exceedingly angry with us?” [Lam. 5:22]. Jehovah had not utterly rejected Israel, nor was He exceedingly angry with them. But they needed to wait on Him until the time of restoration, when He will restore the children of Israel to be in His person and in His eternal kingdom to enjoy what He had promised to their forefathers.

　　In the third lamentation Jeremiah spoke of God’s loving-kindness, compassions, and faithfulness, and at the end of the fifth lamentation he appealed to God's eternal being and His eternal throne, His unchanging government…God’s eternal being and throne are higher than His lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness.

　　According to the New Testament, God’s salvation is a matter of His love (John 3:16), His grace (Eph. 2:8), and His righteousness (Rom. 1:17). God’s love and grace may change, but God’s righteousness cannot change, because His righteousness is related to His government (Psa. 89:14)…God’s lovingkindness and compassions can change, but God’s person and His government remain unchanging forever.

　　Jeremiah ended Lamentations not with God’s lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness but with God’s eternal being and His throne. This is a strong sign that in writing Lamentations Jeremiah touched God’s economy…There, in 5:19, he touched God’s person and God’s throne.

　　In the New Jerusalem, God will be fully unveiled in His person and in His government, both of which are the unshakable foundation of His dealing with us. At that time, we will see God Himself as the eternal King with His eternal, unshakable kingdom (Heb. 12:28). (Life-study of Lamentations, 2nd ed., pp. 14-15)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Lamentations, msg. 3; Life-study of Jeremiah, msg. 11